Teiji Wada

Head of Research Platform
Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.

1996: Bachelor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo
1999: Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo
2000: Postdoctoral fellow, the former Amgen institute/Ontario Cancer institute in Canada, and the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA) in Austria
2005: Assistant Professor, former Tokyo Medical and Dental University
2006 - Present: Sankyo, Daiichi Sankyo
2006: Associate Director, Pharmacology and Molecular Biology Research Laboratories II,  Biological Research Laboratories IV
2011: Director, Oncology Laboratories
2013: Senior Director, Biologics Research Laboratories, Biologics and Immuno-Oncology Laboratories, Oncology Research Laboratories I
2023: Vice President, Discovery Research Laboratories II2025: Head of Research Innovation Planning Department, Head of Research Platform

Speech title & Synopsis

Antibody-Drug Conjugates: Past, Present, and Future

Daiichi Sankyo is a Japan-based global pharmaceutical company with a 125-year legacy, built on a strong foundation of science and technology. Since initiating dedicated research into antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in 2010, we have successfully established our original DXd ADC technology. This technology is characterized by a highly potent topoisomerase I inhibitor payload (DXd) with bystander effect, a stable and tumor-selective cleavable linker, and a site-specific conjugation method enabling a high and homogeneous drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR).
A representative ADC from this technology, the HER2-targeted DXd ADC, ENHERTU®, has demonstrated enhanced preclinical efficacy compared to conventional standards of care. Notably, it exhibited potent tumor regression even in mouse xenograft models with low HER2 expression. In clinical studies, it has shown robust efficacy in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer as well as in those with HER2-low (DESTINY-Breast04) and ultralow expression (DESTINY-Breast06), contributing to a broader clinical application. For one of the common adverse reactions, in patients with metastatic breast cancer, HER2-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and other solid tumors treated with ENHERTU® 5.4 mg/kg, interstitial lung disease (ILD) occurred in 12% of patients.
Leveraging this technology platform, we have developed a pipeline of DXd ADCs targeting a range of tumor-associated antigens (HER2, HER3, TROP2, B7-H3, CDH6, and TA-MUC1, etc.) across multiple cancer types. In 2024, the TROP2 targeted DXd ADC, which is the second DXd ADC, received regulatory approval in TROP2-positive breast cancer, reinforcing the potential of DXd ADC technology.
We are committed to delivering transformative therapies to a broader patient population through the expanding DXd ADC technology and the development of further next-generation ADC technologies. As a global leader in ADC drug discovery, we are committed to shaping the future of targeted cancer therapy to deliver meaningful benefit to patients in need.